THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday accused the Union government of imposing a financial siege on Kerala and acting in a “biased and vengeful” manner.
“Deviating from the normal practice, the current Union government is planning not development, but how to suffocate Kerala by denying it its rightful funds,”Pinarayi said, inaugurating a satyagraha against the Centre’s financial neglect towards the state at the Martyrs’ Column in Thiruvananthapuram. Citing figures to back the state’s charge of discrimination,
Pinarayi said the Centre cut Rs 5,900 crore from Kerala’s Rs 12,000-crore borrowing limit for the January–March quarter. Pending dues till September 2025 total Rs 5,783.69 crore across multiple schemes, while Kerala could lose another Rs 3,544 crore due to Centre-imposed conditions under VB-G RAM G. “The moves cannot be seen as targeting LDF alone, they hurt all sections of the state,” he said, calling for a united stand against the Central policies.
Rejecting claims that Kerala’s crisis stems from state spending, the CM cited the December 2025 CAG report and said even NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam had revealed pressure to cut States’ tax share after the Modi government took office.
Questioning the Centre’s approach, he asked why Kerala was being targeted out of hostility towards the LDF government. Calling the Centre’s inadequate funding for Wayanad landslide relief “cruel,” Pinarayi alleged that lump-sum aid was being extended to states that favour the Centre politically, while even funds under flagship schemes named after the Prime Minister were being denied to Kerala.
Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks about the BJP’s growth in Kerala, the CM said, “Instead of seeing long-term dreams in Kerala, he and the Union government should take a step back from the moves to suffocate the state.
Anyway, his dreams are not going to fructify here.” Taking a dig at the Congress and UDF for not raising their voice against the fund crisis, and taking a soft stand against communalism, the chief minister criticised that the party does not refrain from wearing the ‘ornaments of RSS’ today for a few votes and a couple of seats.
The CM also spoke against the newly implemented VB G Ram G Bill in his address.
Presiding over the event, Revenue Minister K Rajan said that the state had been able to provide welfare pensions, connect to work, and women’s security schemes, even amid the fund crunch. Criticising the centre, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said that a sum of Rs 57,000 crore is not being provided to the state from the Union government annually.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam commented that the centre is not bothered if the people of the state are suffering, as Kerala did not vote for the ruling party at the centre. The satyagraha was attended by ministers K Krishnankutty, Kadannappally Ramachandran, P A Muhammed Riyas, M B Rajesh, P Rajeeve, K N Balagopal, Saji Cherian, Roshy Augustine, J Chinjurani, V Sivankutty, R Bindhu, among others.
Amid speculation that Kerala Congress (M) could join the UDF ahead of the assembly elections, the party’s chairperson, Jose K Mani, was notably absent at the government’s Satyagraha against the Union government held in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
While the protest was touted to have the participation of cabinet ministers, MLAs and MPs from the Left front, Jose’s absence strengthened the rumours. However, KC(M) minister, Roshy Augustine, was present on the Satyagraha stage and delivered a pro-government speech.
“It is certain that the LDF, which is moving forward with multiple welfare schemes for the people, will get a third term in the assembly elections. But even when the Centre is withholding our deserved funds, Congress is staying silent on the issue,” he said. Roshy also spoke about how the Centre’s reluctance to disburse funds has affected the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the state.